Best Magnesium Supplement UK: How to Choose One Worth Taking

Six checks before you buy

1. The form: is it named, and is it the right one or the right blend of forms?
2. The elemental magnesium: how much actual magnesium is in a serving?
3. The serving size and the cost per day.
4. The format: capsules, tablets, powder or gummies.
5. What else is in it, and why.
6. How open the label is.

1. Check the form: which magnesium is best?

Magnesium is a mineral your body uses every day, and you get it from foods like nuts, seeds, leafy greens and wholegrains.

In a supplement it can’t be used on its own, so it is attached to another ingredient that keeps it stable. That partner is called the form, and you can think of it as the packaging the magnesium travels in. Different packaging behaves differently: some forms are absorbed more easily, and some are gentler on the stomach.

That is why you will see names like glycinate, citrate, malate and marine Aquamin on labels, and why the form matters as much as the amount. There is no single best form, but there are real differences.

• Glycinate is bound to the amino acid glycine. It is gentle on the stomach and well absorbed, which is why it is a common choice for daily use.
• Malate is bound to malic acid, which takes part in the body's energy production.
• Taurate pairs magnesium with the amino acid taurine and is often found in blends.
• Aquamin is a different kind of ingredient. It comes from a mineral-rich red marine algae (Lithothamnion) and supplies magnesium alongside calcium and trace minerals, rather than being one compound bound to a single partner.
• Citrate is widely available and affordable, but more likely to loosen the stools in some people, especially at higher doses.
• Oxide is high in magnesium by weight but poorly absorbed, so it is common in low-cost products.

A label that only says "magnesium" tells you very little. Our guide to the types of magnesium goes through each form in more detail.

2. Check the elemental magnesium

The big number on the front of a pack is often the weight of the whole compound, not the magnesium inside it. Different forms contain very different amounts of actual magnesium. So 1,000mg of one form is not the same as 1,000mg of another.

Therefore, look for the words "elemental magnesium" and a figure per serving. The nutrient reference value for magnesium is 375mg a day, so that is a useful number to compare against.

3. Check the serving size and the cost per day

A product that gives 375mg in one serving of three capsules is a different proposition from one that needs six. Check how many capsules or tablets make a serving, how many servings are in the pack, and what that works out at per day.

The simplest comparison is cost per day: divide the price of the pack by the number of days it lasts. A pack that costs £15 and lasts 15 days is £1 a day, and a £24 pack that lasts 30 days is 80p a day. Then compare products on the same amount of elemental magnesium, not on the price of the pack.

4. Capsules, tablets, powder or gummies?

Most people searching for magnesium tablets or magnesium capsules are choosing between convenient formats. Capsules and tablets are the simplest way to take a measured dose. Powders let you adjust the amount but need mixing and can taste of the form used. Gummies are easy to take, but they tend to deliver much less magnesium per piece, so check how many you would need to reach a useful amount. The best format is the one you will actually take every day. Our MagnesiumPro comes in a capsule.

5. Check what else is in it

Some supplements add vitamins or botanicals. Others add fillers, caking agents and artificial additives - so beware. Neither is automatically good or bad, but you should be able to see every ingredient, how much of it there is, and why it is there.

We don't believe there's any need for artificial ingredients or fillers to pad out formulas - it's something we have never and will never do.

Never the less, others do, and if you follow a vegan or vegetarian diet, you should also check the capsule as well as the ingredients, because some capsules are made from animal gelatine. Ours is plant-based.

6. Check how open the label is

A good label names every form, gives the amount of each ingredient, and states the serving clearly. Be wary of blends that hide the amounts, and that call themselves a "magnesium complex" but never say which forms it contains.

Label tricks to watch for:

• The compound weight shown in large type, with the elemental magnesium in small print.
• A serving that needs four to six capsules tucked into the small print.
• "Up to" language rather than an actual amount.
• A single cheap form described as if it were a premium blend.
• Claims on the front of the pack that go further than the wording authorised for food supplements.

Where MagnesiumPro fits

MagnesiumPro is our daily magnesium complex, and it is built as a recipe, not just a dose.

Start with the magnesium. Three capsules give 375mg of elemental magnesium, which is 100% of the nutrient reference value, from four forms: glycinate, malate, taurate and marine Aquamin. Each form is absorbed and tolerated a little differently, so a blend covers more ground than any single form.

Then the wider blend. We added plant-based (naturally derived, not artificial) vitamins D3, B6 and B12 because they work on the same everyday jobs as magnesium. Magnesium, B6 and B12 each contribute to the normal functioning of the nervous system and to the reduction of tiredness and fatigue, and magnesium and vitamin D each contribute to normal muscle function. Alongside them sit powerful botanicals known for their anti-inflammatory and calming properties: ginger, turmeric and black pepper extracts.

The result is one daily routine for natural rest and rebalance, in a vegan pullulan capsule with no fillers, instead of a handful of separate products. It has a 4.9 rating and 98% of reviewers would recommend it.

Making the most of rest, sleep and repair

Rest, sleep and repair are not one job, so one nutrient rarely covers all of them. Sleep and rest are when your body does much of its rebuilding, and good rebuilding needs two things: the raw material to rebuild with, and the support to rest while it does.

Magnesium looks after the resting side. Collagen looks after the building side.

That is why our MagnesiumPro and CollagenPro sit side by side in our Rest & Repair Bundle. If you already take magnesium and want more from your routine, it is the easiest place to start.

Who should be careful

A food supplement is not a medicine and should not replace a varied, balanced diet. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medication, or have a medical condition, including kidney problems, speak to your doctor before starting a new supplement. Do not exceed the stated dose.